Guild Wars 2

Chill people, no two professions get the same weapon for specialization and rangers were already known to get staff (Druid). The chance of thieves getting staff is flat 0%. Thief will be more likely to get rifle than staff.

To my knowledge, arenanet has never stated anywhere or even implied anywhere that all new elite specs will get a unique weapon that isn’t shared by another.

Please do prove me wrong though. I’m quite curious where people are getting the idea from.

Neither situation is known. People are quoting thief will get rifle, thief will get staff, ele will get sword, ele will get warhorn etc etc..

We dont know if elite specs will duplicate weapons. It was an assumption based on fair distribution of the weapons, but its just as likely anet will go for whichever weapon is most appropriate regardless.

The key thing is that is all speculation. So many threads claim absolute fact and this isnt the case until an official announcement hits.

It’s not quite 100% that thief gets staff, but it might as well be.

Coldtart.4785:

It’s not quite 100% that thief gets staff, but it might as well be.

To me that looks like a spear.
But imo i don’t think the thief will get a staff tbh.

XxTAFxX.6741:

Coldtart.4785:

It’s not quite 100% that thief gets staff, but it might as well be.

To me that looks like a spear.
But imo i don’t think the thief will get a staff tbh.

Except Spears usually have points at the end.

That looks to me like a Rifle.

Thieves do need a 1200 range option, just as eles need a non-range melee weapon. Which will likely mean that Thieves will get a melee staff, and eles will get a warhorn, seeing as Anet’s ability to correctly predict and act on what’s really important is rather low these days.

Berelious.3290:

That looks to me like a Rifle.

[&C6EXAAA=] Preview it in game, and come back to me and say it! >.<

I don’t understand those threads.
“I have absolutely no proof, but I will state that my speculation is a fact.”

Thief getting a rifle is speculated basing on one character in a trailer having a rilfe.
Thief getting a staff is based on datamined image and weapon skins.

penelopehannibal.8947:

XxTAFxX.6741:

Coldtart.4785:

It’s not quite 100% that thief gets staff, but it might as well be.

To me that looks like a spear.
But imo i don’t think the thief will get a staff tbh.

Except Spears usually have points at the end.

Fair enough.
I was going by the other pick as it does look like a (cut off the pic) blade at the end.

XxTAFxX.6741:

penelopehannibal.8947:

XxTAFxX.6741:

Coldtart.4785:

It’s not quite 100% that thief gets staff, but it might as well be.

To me that looks like a spear.
But imo i don’t think the thief will get a staff tbh.

Except Spears usually have points at the end.

Fair enough.
I was going by the other pick as it does look like a (cut off the pic) blade at the end.

Ah I see, yeah it’s a little hazier on the “Specialisation Background” – but having said that, anything can still happen.

Also:

• Mesmer specialization gets shield
• Revenant specialization gets shield

Mind = blown?

Coldtart.4785:

It’s not quite 100% that thief gets staff, but it might as well be.

idk, every profession that uses staff use them to cast legit magic from some sort of range. The staff skins that already exist in the game i have a hard time seeing being used as a bo-staff. Also i think a lot of people are forgetting that they will also be giving classes new utility skills (banners or kits is what i would put my money on that picture being of). Finally I think that thieves are likely to be getting a ranged elite spec due to there absolute gutting of pistols with the patch on the 23rd ( why would they take those skills out? moving stuff sure but straight up removing seems odd)

Gonna be lazy and paste my response from another thread with the same topic lol

“Personally I think it’s highly unlikely thief will get a staff and that the rifle will be what it ends up with. Personal preference aside, it just makes more sense. Melee staff may be new but both Revenant and Ranger will be getting one which will mean that if thief gets it to than literally every class but warrior and engi will have a staff, 7/9, which is very unlikely considering the few that have access to rifle. Personally I think rifles and kits are far more likely to gain a place and sorry to all you people wanting staff but I don’t see it happening. "

Also on a side note it is possible that image with “thief staff” could just be one of the new pvp stronghold champions by the way.

Thieves can have staff, I don’t want it. Give me main hand dagger.

Thieves can have staff, I don’t want it. Give me rifle.

penelopehannibal.8947:

Berelious.3290:

That looks to me like a Rifle.

[&C6EXAAA=] Preview it in game, and come back to me and say it! >.<

Gem store item?

Why is everybody getting so hung up on the specific weapon their profession gets? In the end it’s much more about the weapon skills, utility skills and traits than anything else.

Berelious.3290:

That looks to me like a Rifle.

Ok to settle this once and for all, look at those 2 pictures, if you still see a rifle, a spear or wathever else than a staff, you’re blind and I feel sorry for you.
Or you’re just a troll.
And the preview show the staff in game.

The specialisation may be rifle, staff or something else, Anet knows we datamine and they me be trolling us (cf sword skills for ele, and now they removed and a war horn appears taht looks like the ele spec), but one thing is sure, in this picture, it’s a staff, nothing else.

And I guess people may not like some weapons because of their nature, LB guard, Rifle thief, they’re ranged, and people who play PvE are aware they won’t use them. Because there is no chance the LB offers more damage than any melee wepon the guardian has, and the rifle can’t gives more utility than SB. Same for Warhorn for ele, if it happens, the meta won’t change for the weapons at least, because now for ele, staff is by far on top, and sword would’ve been able to offer more, war horn won’t, because you will still have scepter or dagger main hand.
A Melee weapon, whatever it might be, let a chance to be good, a ranged one gives no place to hope.

Wetpaw.3487:

penelopehannibal.8947:

Berelious.3290:

That looks to me like a Rifle.

[&C6EXAAA=] Preview it in game, and come back to me and say it! >.<

Gem store item?

I don’t know, even though it’s a code, it’s still speculation at this point, as everything is until ArenaNet says so – but I’ve heard on the grapevine that it’s possibly a future ascended item rather than a Gem Store item.

Early days yet of course for anything

I have been wishing for a bo staff since I rolled a Mo/W years ago. The monk was a martial arts themed profession, but they were magic users. They could use a staff, I think, but it was a magic weapon. That really bugged me.

This talk of bo staff thieves (whatever they may be called) is getting me really excited. I hope it’s true. Makes sense to put it on the Thief now since they’re the most martial artsy of all the professions with their ninja-like stealth and acrobatics. I can’t see it being a super high damage weapon (it’s just a stick), but thieves are bursty enough as it is with other weapons. I can see a melee staff bringing some good crowd control and AoE attacks, though. Sneak or teleport into a group of enemies (or swap to staff if you get surrounded) and knock them all down with a spin attack. Possibly could add deflects, interrupts, stuns, etc. Gives the thief a bit more survivability and support, as well as a new way to play the profession.

Plus, I bet it would look really cool… (crosses fingers)

I have a thought.

Based on other data mining, there is some pretty good evidence that thieves will get kits with their specialization. So maybe thief will get rifle as their new weapon, and get staff as one of their new kits.

Gern.2978:

I have a thought.

Based on other data mining, there is some pretty good evidence that thieves will get kits with their specialization. So maybe thief will get rifle as their new weapon, and get staff as one of their new kits.

Aye, that’s one possibility.

OR

The other way round too – Staff main weapon, rifle kit.

Stop crying, thief staff is awesome and its pretty much a given, Staff makes 10000% more sense than a stupid rifle.

Toasty.9134:

Stop crying, thief staff is awesome and its pretty much a given, Staff makes 10000% more sense than a stupid rifle.

Both make sense.

Those threads need to stop. It’s not a discussion anymore. It’s just people going “No, YOU are wrong!”.

Cyvien.8049:

Chill people, no two professions get the same weapon for specialization and rangers were already known to get staff (Druid). The chance of thieves getting staff is flat 0%. Thief will be more likely to get rifle than staff.

Guessing thieves might become monk/ninja class with staff. Anet even added the monk armor skin in-game already.

Toasty.9134:

Stop crying, thief staff is awesome and its pretty much a given, Staff makes 10000% more sense than a stupid rifle.

How?

Thief + rifle = sniper assassin

Thief + staff = ….?

And before you say thief + staff = martial artist, think of how many staffs we have in GW2 that would be completely impractical for a martial-arts melee approach.

thieves are getting Staff

there is too much evidence to support it

all the thieves who want rifle can’t keep denying it but you guys are getting staff

that being said, it is also highly likely you are getting kits as well, which could be rifle and throwing knives

Yeah if anyone bothered to read the datamined stuff you’ll see thief is getting staff + there’s a throwing knife kit in there aswell.

What i think people are failing to understand is with the new prof a thief is no longer a Thief anymore, thats the point of the new elite profs its a completely new style of play

Ok so how are people not seeing a thief which is a primary melee prof and needs to be in melee to STEAL so it makes more sense having a new melee wep than a ranged one, sniper would fit Ranger a hell of a lot more.

Toasty.9134:

Yeah if anyone bothered to read the datamined stuff you’ll see thief is getting staff + there’s a throwing knife kit in there aswell.

What i think people are failing to understand is with the new prof a thief is no longer a Thief anymore, thats the point of the new elite profs its a completely new style of play

Ok so how are people not seeing a thief which is a primary melee prof and needs to be in melee to STEAL so it makes more sense having a new melee wep than a ranged one, sniper would fit Ranger a hell of a lot more.

i doubt it’s kits unless they remove weapon swap with the elite spec (if you didnt know engies dont have weapon swap and kits are why). also how does playing acrobatics with a staff count as a completely new play style when you guys are already spinning and jumping everywhere already anyways. Also I’ve always found datamines stuff to never be all that reliable (remember people datamined polearms in the beta back in 2012 and we STILL DONT HAVE OUR POLEARMS ANET!) so I would be skeptical of anything dataming turned up even if it gave evidence toward rifle (the one i would prefer by far over the staff for both selfish and none selfish reasons)

Emptor.9148:

Toasty.9134:

Yeah if anyone bothered to read the datamined stuff you’ll see thief is getting staff + there’s a throwing knife kit in there aswell.

What i think people are failing to understand is with the new prof a thief is no longer a Thief anymore, thats the point of the new elite profs its a completely new style of play

Ok so how are people not seeing a thief which is a primary melee prof and needs to be in melee to STEAL so it makes more sense having a new melee wep than a ranged one, sniper would fit Ranger a hell of a lot more.

i doubt it’s kits unless they remove weapon swap with the elite spec (if you didnt know engies dont have weapon swap and kits are why). also how does playing acrobatics with a staff count as a completely new play style when you guys are already spinning and jumping everywhere already anyways. Also I’ve always found datamines stuff to never be all that reliable (remember people datamined polearms in the beta back in 2012 and we STILL DONT HAVE OUR POLEARMS ANET!) so I would be skeptical of anything dataming turned up even if it gave evidence toward rifle (the one i would prefer by far over the staff for both selfish and none selfish reasons)

almost (90%+) everything that that_shaman data mines lately ends up in game

Jordo.5913:

almost (90%+) everything that that_shaman data mines lately ends up in game

That’s all the more reason for the devs to throw in fake/junk data, though. They want to make it a big reveal, which they can’t do if it’s all datamined before they’re ready.

Palador.2170:

Jordo.5913:

almost (90%+) everything that that_shaman data mines lately ends up in game

That’s all the more reason for the devs to throw in fake/junk data, though. They want to make it a big reveal, which they can’t do if it’s all datamined before they’re ready.

Im just picturing everyone at Anet reading this thread and the other like it laughing their kitten off.

Palador.2170:

Jordo.5913:

almost (90%+) everything that that_shaman data mines lately ends up in game

That’s all the more reason for the devs to throw in fake/junk data, though. They want to make it a big reveal, which they can’t do if it’s all datamined before they’re ready.

The staff has two weapon models, a regular and ascended version.

There is a model of throwing knife pack and throwing knife individual.

There is artwork of a thief using a staff, most likely for the specialization background.

You think they would throw in “fake” stuff that takes a bit to design when people are griping about the expac taking too long to come out?

Takes me back to the days of the Commando April Fools joke. Some people though it was funny, but a lot were kittened that they spent so much time on something that was fake and not going in game because the base game was taking too long to come out.

The beserker and forge didn’t have artwork, they were just placeholders….if they don’t have the artwork done for the thief, why would you slap fake ones on the thief and not the warrior and engineer placeholders? Or the other way around, why not just leave it placeholder to keep people speculating on rifle?

I understand thief players are grieving, and are in the first stage of denial, but there is WAY too much evidence to support that they are getting staff, in one way or another.

Bovan.9481:

To my knowledge, arenanet has never stated anywhere or even implied anywhere that all new elite specs will get a unique weapon that isn’t shared by another.

Please do prove me wrong though. I’m quite curious where people are getting the idea from.

I’m curious as well since you’re the first person to say two different specs could get the same weapon. Everyone else has been speculating on the premise that no two specs get the same new weapon type.

I’d like to see a renewed link to what spawned the idea.

Emptor.9148:

i doubt it’s kits unless they remove weapon swap with the elite spec (if you didnt know engies dont have weapon swap and kits are why).

Well, a Thief with kits could keep weapon swap and not be broken. Why? Initiative. Engineer is perhaps at its strongest when it can rotate through several kits to use a lot of cooldown abilities in succession. For Thief, that’s not an option due to the Initiative pool being shared among all weapons.

If Thief kit ‘weapon skills’ still use Initiative, as I assume they would, then that pool would serve to balance things even with the weapon swap remaining.

So…common forum speculation is that Thieves are getting staff for their elite spec now?

Fantastic. That is absolutely amazing, in that I will have absolutely no need whatsoever to bother with the new elite spec. Which, frankly, is less amazing as it is intensely frustrating. Seriously – in what world does handing Thieves oversized magic sticks make the remotest amount of sense?

We’ve been over this with the mace requests – there is nothing a new melee set can do that Sword/* doesn’t already cover. Sword/Pistol deals piles of damage, it stuns and interrupts like a mad thing, it has insane evasion, it has mobility and extra condition handling, it has a friggin’ pulsing blind field. Sword/Dagger rips boons, and has a great deal of cripple and other control on OH Dagger, as well as more evades on #3.

No mace, and no melee staff, are going to be able to keep up with the full-bar awesomeness that is the Sword sets. Sword/* is already better at defense, disruption, control, and damage than any bass-ackwards melee magic-stick could be, and if someone says “well maybe it’ll cast shadowy magic instead, huh?!”, I will mail them a set of instructions which will enable them to most efficaciously punch themselves in the mouth.

They may as well not even give the Thief elite spec a weapon at all if that weapon is going to be staff. What a horrible waste of space. This thing better have some positively insane traits, or some truly ludicrous utilities, if it wants to get any play at all over a bog-standard sword or dagger set.

Blagh. So freaking stupid…

This thief image you are referring to is possibly a reward track for Nika hero in Stronghold, not spec background.

krzygum.4028:

This thief image you are referring to is possibly a reward track for Nika hero in Stronghold, not spec background.

The resemblance is uncanny.

Of course it is. Because reward track can be named “Obsidian Flame Reward Track” not “YOLO Nika Cantha Confirmed” so putting more generic picture seems more reasonable.

Correct me if I’m. Wrong here. Thief’s are close range melee.specialist. I know they have short bow and pistol, but a rifle hardly screams thief weapon to me.

So rifle can expand thief gameplay from “close range melee.specialist” to ranged deadly sharpshooter. More oprions is always better than limiting yourself.

neonis.3974:

Anet even added the monk armor skin in-game already.

That’s specifically GW1 monk outfit. And GW1 monks were not ninjas, but healers.

BrotherBelial.3094:

Correct me if I’m. Wrong here. Thief’s are close range melee.specialist.

Yes, currently they are more about close range melee with fast movement, than range attacks. They don’t need another weapon that will be an agility close range option – they already have covered that in spades. What they need is something that would expand their options – and for that rifle is way better than melee staff.

Based on nothing but a trailer background character people concluded absolutely that Thieves get rifle. It could’ve been a random npc, npc’s dont have to follow the rules that professions follow, and it was later admitted (in response to spears) that the art team took some liberties when they made this trailer.

And now, based on a piece of artwork, people are concluding without a doubt that Thieves get the staff!
It could be anything, it could be a new story npc, or better yet one of the new Stronghold champions. Didn’t they announce one that stealths you as his support ability? Sounds like it could be a Thief based champion.

It would be quite a laugh when in the end Thief gets neither staff or rifle. That whole “no spec gets the same new weapon” is just speculation as well.

After January HoT reveal conference devs told us we can look for hints put into trailer with other specs weapons so that’s why ele sword and thief rifle ideas came up.

Thief’s will get war horn, eles will get rifle, why not? It could happen.

Eventually they will. I read somewhere that it is a plan to allow all profs use all weaps through specs. However what you said above has no hints or evidence today while speculations for thief’s staff and rifle are supported by trailer and datamined stuff.

Mo Mo.1947:

I’m curious as well since you’re the first person to say two different specs could get the same weapon. Everyone else has been speculating on the premise that no two specs get the same new weapon type.

I’d like to see a renewed link to what spawned the idea.

Nearly everyone is speculating that Revenant’s elite spec will get a shield though